I planned a similar wrap-up for this year. Except that one item seemed to overshadow all the others.

The Paris Climate Accord.

This agreement is so important that economic developers and city builders must both understand the key elements of the global deal and help develop local plans to support our national climate goals. Going forward, Market Street Services will help our clients develop strategies to capitalize on the new reality of an economy in the post carbon era.

“Many people still seem to believe that renewable energy is hippie-dippy stuff, not a serious part of our future. The reality is that costs of solar and wind power are close to competitive with fossil fuels even without special incentives. (So) the cost of sharp emission reductions will be much less than even optimists used to assume.” — Paul Krugman, The New York Times, Dec. 14, 2015

“Make no mistake, the Paris agreement establishes the enduring framework the world needs to solve the climate crisis." — President Barack Obama

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On behalf of everyone at Market Street, here’s to a prosperous 2016! We look forward to following your successes in the New Year, and encourage you to follow us on Twitter for the latest thought-provoking community and economic development quotes, news, best practices, and innovations.